October 2, 2007

Washington is concerned about the "concentration of power" in Russia

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that Washington is concerned about the "concentration of power" in Russia, where Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested he could become prime minister. Asked whether Putin was setting himself up to become "dictator for life," Rice said she did not believe the Russian leader, whose second term as president expires next March, would try to change the constitution.

It was unclear whether Rice spoke after Putin, who is constitutionally barred from running for a third consecutive presidential term, announced that he would run for parliament and that he had a "realistic" chance of becoming prime minister.